Ramayana Story: Unique Question of Rishi Valmiki
Ok, I am starting the story. Before I start let me say that if there are any inaccuracies in the story please correct me. I will try and tell the story to the best of my abilities and knowlege. Ramayana is not just read but prayed to daily by great people. Ramayana is interpretted at several levels in several layers. Ramayana is interpretted as a Dharma Shastra(treatise of justice and righteousness), as ayurveda shastra, as mantra shastra, as yoga shastra, ....etc. I will only stick to the story part.
Jai Sri Ram
Ramayana Story:
The story starts in the ashram of Valmiki. The ashrams are generally places where rishis live. These ashrams are at a distance from cities or villages because the rishis like to live in peace and do not want to be disturbed by people. One day devarshi(divine rishi) Narada came to Valmiki. Narada is tapasvi and vadvidamvaram. Tapasvi is a person who does certain kind of vratas. They eat 16 nivalas(gulps of rice) per day on full moon day, from there they decrease one nivala everyday till the new moon day. From there they increase one nivala every day till full moon day. Also, they spend their time in meditation(dhyanam). Their goal is to become one with brahman(the supreme god). They continously make dhyan on the brahman. Devarshi Narad was that kind of tapasvi. He was one with brahman. He had the knowlege of past, present and future. He was always blissful because he knew the true nature of this world and universe and because he was one with the supreme brahman. Narada was also vagvidamvaram. Which means that his words were always truthful. If he said something it would become true.
That Narada came to meet Valmiki. Valmiki was also a tapsavi. He also had vrats and regularly meditated. Before I continue, one more thing, the time when Narada came to meet Valmiki, Sitadevi was living in Valmiki's ashram. That means Sitadevi had already gone to Lanka, comeback, and then Rama sent her to forest, where Valmiki found her and gave refuge in his ashram along with his numerous disciples and their wives. So, in short, the Ramayanam had already happened, infact it was at its fagend. Now, Devarsi Narada who was a tapasvi and vagvidamvaram had come to meet tapasvi and rishi Valmiki.
When Narada came Valmiki prayed to him, welcomed him and asked him a question. This question is the root for the birth of the epic named ramayana. This question gave birth to the great indian epic which was written millenias before yet is popular even today. What is this question?
The rishi valmiki asked:
Is there any person in my lifetime who has following 16 qualities?
gunah, viryam, dharma, krutagnasya, drudvrata, satyavakya, Charitra, Vidvaan, sarvabutah hitah, samartah, priya darshanah, aatmavaan, jitakrodho, dhyutimaan, anasuyukah, kasya bibyati devah ca jyata rosaya myuge,
1) gunah = good qualities,
2) viryam = courage, one who does not get shaken in his heart but is able to accomplish even very hard tasks,
3) krutagnasya = one who remembers the help given to him by others
4) drudvrata = firm resolved
5) satyavrata = one who speaks only truth and nothing else
6) charitra = character
7) Charitra = character, conduct,
8) Vidvaan = knowlegable, wise,
9) sarvabutah hitah = one who wishes the best for every butah(living thing).
10) samartah = one is abled, one who can achieve any given task,
11) priya darshanah = handsome always in all attires at all times,
12) aatmavan = one who has mastered his aatma,
13) itakrodho = one who has mastered his anger,
14) dhyutiman = one who has great shine,
15) anasuyakah = one without jealousy,
16) kasya bibyati devah ca jyata rosaya myuge = even gods will tremble when he gets angry.
(note the difference between controlling and mastering. Mastering anger is different from controlling anger. We can control anger in certain situations but can lose its control sometimes. But once you master you something, its always in your control. Mastering anger means understanding the trigger for anger and why it erupts. Thus one gets to a situation where he does not get angry. There could be a doubt quality 13 and quality 16 are possible simulaneously. Rama does not get angry, he has mastered it, but he uses anger as a tool to get his work done when required. He expresses anger to get a work done. He does not get into the grip of anger like us.)
This was the question asked by rishi Valmiki. He asked," is there any person with these 16 qualities. If there is such a person, please tell me who he is. And I want to know about a person who is alive not some historical figure." 16 qualities are generally possessed by moon in hindu literature. Thats is the reason Sri Rama is also called Ramachandra. So, now Valmiki has asked the question . This is the scene of epic Ramayana's birth. Then the devarshi Narada replied as follows, "You have asked a rare question and people with such qualities do not ordinarily exist(that means the one with all such qualities is an extra-ordinary person).Yes, Valmiki, such a person exists. He belongs to Ikshavaku kula(dynasty), he is the son of King Dasharatha, people call him Rama. He has all the qualities you mentioned and along with it he is a vasi(one who has mastered his senses). He has great willpower and great physical power. He knows all sciences. He has great riches. He has strong shoulders and high cheeks. He knows use of all weapons. He can control enemies. He knows all vedas. He is equal to Sri Maha Vishnu. He protects all the beings and dharma. He can protect the entire world. He protects his own dharma. He protects people who depend on him for protection. He is extremely handsome and pleasing to those who see him. He is satyaparakram(truth is his strength)." Then Devarshi Narada tells the entire Ramayana to rishi Valmiki in a brief manner. The Ramayana told by Narada to Valmiki is called Sankshep Ramayana. It is about 100 shlokas. It is called a mala mantram. It is supposed to have great powers to those who pray through it.
Narada told the Ramayana in a brief manner in the following manner,"King Dasharatha did not have kids, so he performed ashvamedha yagam( a type of yagam) to clear his papam(bad karma). When he performed the yagam, he received a prasadam( any food item taken with a blessing of god). He gave it to his three wives and Rama was born as the eldest son to his first wife Kaushalya. Later Dasharatha wanted to annoint Rama as the King of Kaushalya to look after welfare of the people because people also wanted to see prince Rama as the king but then the dear wife of Dasharatha, Kaikeyi, claimed boons from Dasharatha according to which Rama must be banished to forests and Bharata(second son of Dasharata and only son of Kaikeyi) should be made as King. To honour the boons given by his father to kaikeyi, Sri Rama went to forest. Younger brother of Rama named Lakshmana also followed his brother out of brotherly love and affection. Sri Rama's wife Sita who was most beautiful lady, also accompanied her husband. All the people of ayodhya were immersed in sorrow.The trio of Rama, Sita and Lakshmana went into forests, crossing rivers and visting sages. Finally they went to chitrakuta. Bharata came back from his uncles house and got to know about the boons that his mother kaikeyi asked his father, he also came to know about the banishment of his brother and consquently death of his father. Bharata became sad and went to chitrakuta along with all the gurus(teachers), citizens and army to persuade Rama to take the throne back now that his father had expired. Rama did not agree because it was against the dharma. Then Bharat took the padukas(foot wear) of rama and ruled the khosala as rama's agent and rama's padukas as his symbol. Later Rama left Chitrakuta because it reminded him of his people who visited him recently. He left chitrakuta and entered Dandaka forest and resided there. A demoness named shurpanaka saw him and got attracted to him and approached him. But Rama cut her nose and ears. Kara and Dhushana(two demons) attacked Rama with a force of 14000 when Shurpanaka complained to them. Rama destroyed the entire 14000 demons, shurpanaka saw it and informed Ravana. Ravana abducted Sita and took her to Lanka. Rama befriended Sugreeva(vanara, a monkey clan that has human like qualities) and killed Vali(brother of Sugreeva). Then Rama sent vanaras to all directions to search for Sita. Hanuman(one of the vanaras sent to search for Sita) who went to south side, discovered Sita and came back to tell Rama about it. Rama built a bridge across the sea with the help of Neela(another vanara) and crossed the bridge along with his army of vanaras into Lanka. There he killed Ravan and returned to Ayodhya and ruled the earth for 11000 years. He showed rama rajya to the world. In Rama Rajya, there were no minor deaths, there were no widows, there were no fire accidents, there were no fevers, there were no starvations, there were no big diseases, there were no deaths of animals by drowing, there were no turbulances in the world, there were no thefts, Rama performed Ashvameda Yagams and many other yagams and gifted away lot of money, crores cows and expensive jewels to Brahmanas. He ruled for 11000years and then after giving up his body he reached Brahma Lokam(World of Brahma)."
Narada also tells a phalashruti(advantages of listening/reading to a particular story). The phalashruti he gives to this ramayana is that those who read this will have a long life and will be able to see their great grand children and after that they will have a painless death and reach heaven.
Rishi Valmiki listened to this brief Ramayna in a very attentive manner. He was delighted to listen and was filled with joy.
To be contd...